§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether any and what offers have lately been made to the Government scale for the removal of a very considerable number of selected families from the West of Ireland to be settled upon land in America?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Government have been in communication with certain gentlemen interested in the development of the North-West Provinces of Canada on the subject of selecting emigrants for settlement there. The general wish of these gentlemen to whom I refer as to the comfort and well-being of the emigrants may be seen in the first paragraph of a letter which I think appears in The Times of to-day, and which shows that they are anxious that these emigrants should enter on a farm of 160 acres of good wheat land, with a comfortable house already provided for them, with a cow and the means of carrying on the labour of the farm, their subsistence being also thoroughly provided for them during the early period of their settlement. I do not say that is the exact offer which has been made, and which the Government will accept; but it is an outline of what those gentlemen propose to provide for the emigrants. The matter is one requiring much consideration, and the sanction of Parliament will have to be obtained before any such scheme is entered upon.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORHow is it proposed to provide subsistence for 50,000 persons from the day of their arrival until they reap their first crop?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe matter is still in an inchoate state. I have merely 1155 mentioned the general intention of these gentlemen; but, of course, it is obvious that 50,000 persons will not go out together.